Operation Lotus Again In Karnataka? Siddaramaiah Says BJP Luring Congress MLAs To Topple Govt

Despite 'Operation Lotus' claim, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence in the stability of his government stating Congress has 136 MLAs and it would take around 60 resignations for BJP to form government.

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah said that Congress MLA Ravikumar Gowda informed him about the BJP's alleged efforts to lure their legislators.

Source : Facebook

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of attempting to destabilize the state government by offering Congress MLAs a bribe of Rs 100 crore each on Friday. According to Siddaramaiah, Congress MLA Ravikumar Gowda informed him about the BJP's alleged efforts to lure their legislators.

"The BJP came to power in Karnataka only through Operation Lotus They have never come to power with the blessings of the people in 2008 and 2019, they came to power through Operation Lotus and backdoor entry," the Chief Minister said, as per IANS, referring to the alleged BJP tactic of engineering defections from other parties to gain power.

Siddaramaiah expressed confidence in the stability of his government stating that Congress has 136 MLAs and it would take around 60 resignations for the BJP to form the government. 

He said: "I am confident that none of our MLAs will be lured by money."

Addressing the controversy over the alleged preferential treatment of actor Darshan in jail, Siddaramaiah said that nine staff members had been suspended, and the actor was transferred to Ballari jail. A notice has also been issued to the Director General of Police (DGP).

Siddaramaiah also informed that the state government is prepared to start work on the Mahadayi river project. "If Union Minister Pralhad Joshi gets us the necessary environmental clearance, we will immediately begin the work," he affirmed, as per the report.

Meanwhile, Congress in Karnataka staged a protest against the sanction granted by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to prosecute Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment scam. The 'Raj Bhavan Chalo' march was led by deputy CM D K Shivakumar in Bengaluru.

On August 16, Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot granted sanction to prosecute the Chief Minister under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.